Some Ashland watershed roads, trails to close for two months

Some trails and roads in the western portion of the Ashland watershed will close for two months starting Monday because of helicopter log-hauling operations in the area.

The Ashland Forest Resiliency Stewardship Project is thinning Forest Service lands within the watershed, and the closures that will run through July 1 are for public safety, forest officials say.

A five-month closure of trails elsewhere in the watershed ended April 30.

Helicopters will be flying on the west side of the watershed in the Horn Gap area, and log trucks will haul logs down Forest Service Road 2060 and then Granite Street through downtown Ashland.

The closures involve Wagner Glade, Potlicker, Horn Gap, No Candles and Fell on Knee trails. Closed roads are Forest Service Road 2060 from Granite Street to the intersection of Potlicker Trail, FSR 2060-200, FSR 2060-300 and FSR 2060-400, and Hitt Road from the Forest Service boundary on up.